Domaine Vacheron Sancerre Guigne Chevres 2020

It's that time of year again! Every year we yearn for the moment our Vacheron allocation arrives and today is the day! Our allocation gets smaller and smaller and the price continues to climb as demand for these wines has reached fever pitch. The last vintage racked up a superb 96 point score from Wine Advocate (the review for the 2020 is coming any day now), the Guigne Chevre is cellar-worthy in a way that few dry sauvignon blancs could claim, this offering is further proof that Sancerre is more desirable than ever. The Vacherons are a tour-de-force making the finest wines in their long history.

The Vacherons have reached the top of the Sancerre pyramid, with few peers anywhere in the Loire as respected and admired. This new single-vineyard bottling of Guigne Chevres is always one of our favorites, and the glorious 2020 vintage is no exception. First, the bad news: this is one of the smallest parcels in the Vacheron’s single-vineyard series, and while we’ve worked some magic to get the lion’s share of everything imported to the U.S. – that is still just a shade over 10 cases. But, we just couldn’t wait any longer to share this singular wine with you, so you’re gonna have to trust us and grab yours before they’re gone.

There’s a lot going on at the moment in the town of Sancerre much of it, thanks to the Vacheron family. Currently in construction, the new Vacheron multi-million dollar state of the art winery, restaurant, and hospitality center will serve as a statement to the great white wine producers of the world – don’t sleep on Sancerre. The Vacheron estate has always been known for making wines of dazzling purity and elegance, but since this fourth generation pair of Jean-Laurent and Jean-Dominique took over day-to-day operations, Vacheron has ratcheted up to become the very best producer of Sancerre (our opinion, of course, but one shared by many and more everyday)!

“Jean-Dominique and Jean-Laurent Vacheron have blown, like fresh air, a breath of biodynamics across their 48 hectares of vineyard since they took over the estate from their parents. In almost the same breath, they have turned it into one of the most respected estates in the region. Their cellars at the top of the hill in Sancerre have a romantic charm…Beyond their lovely Sauvignon Blancs, they also have 11 hectares of Pinot Noir and make some of the most admirable red wines of the central Loire.” - Joel Payne, Vinous

Guigne Chèvres is located just around the corner from the family’s foundational ‘Les Romains’ vineyard on a northeast-facing slope near the summit of the exposed hilltop. The extreme winds have caused these 30-year-old vines to grow very close to the ground, reminiscent of a series of bonsai shrubs, staggered across the silex dominant soils, mixed with red clay and limestone. The site's name comes from the local French patois, meaning “to look at goats”, as the steep slope remains a favorite grazing spot among the local herds.

This is a striking, aromatically rich, refined, and seamless sauvignon blanc that flat out purrs with aromas of white peach, grapefruit zest, golden plum, struck flint, tarragon and lime leaf. Silky mouthfeel, with an impressive weight, density, tension, and electric verve that bodes for a long and beautiful development over the next 15 years…easy.